Photo Courtesy: nenews
Imphal: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) is pushing back against the Centre. The influential umbrella group for Meitei civil society told residents to fly black flags during the upcoming Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. They argue the national drive has no meaning while their state burns. Ethnic conflict has gripped Manipur since May 3, 2023. Peace remains elusive.
COCOMI claims citizens face displacement and a total loss of basic rights. Meitei residents in the Imphal Valley cannot travel freely. They are stuck. The group likens their current situation to prisoners in a small tank. "There is no free movement. The Meiteis at present are unable to move beyond the valley and their lives are similar to that of fishes in a bowl. Even though they are citizens of the country, they have been deprived of their fundamental rights, enshrined in the Constitution," the committee stated.
The organization blames the Government of India for the mess. They label the situation a proxy war that officials have allowed to drag on. With no safe routes out of the valley, the group questions why anyone should wave a flag for national unity. They see the campaign as an empty gesture while the state fails to secure its own people.
Updated at 9th August 2026 at 10:04pm
Despite the resistance from COCOMI, the state government is moving ahead with its own plans. Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh led a half-kilometer Har Ghar Tiranga march through his Singjamei constituency on Sunday, walking through heavy rain to promote the campaign. He used the event to appeal for peace, urging residents from Meitei, Kuki, and Naga communities to set aside ethnic divisions and embrace their shared identity as Indian citizens.
The state-wide campaign runs from August 9 to August 17 and includes more than just flag displays. Officials have planned a concert at the MSFDS Hall on August 12 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram. The Department of Education is also rolling out exhibitions across schools and colleges to drill home the history of the national flag and the significance of the anthem.
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